Vol. 541 No. 2
330 Mr. Spring asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development the reason his Department will not accept an An Post-issued certificate of posting in respect of a 2001 area aid application from a person (details supplied) in County Kerry. [22128/01]
My Department introduced new postal arrangements for the submission of area aid applications in 2001 particularly to give applicants a guarantee of delivery. Applicants were advised that, by submitting their application through the Swiftpost system, delivery was guaranteed and, also, the Swiftpost receipt issued by An Post would be accepted as proof of posting their application. Alternatively, if applicants preferred, they could lodge their application at any of the Department's offices where they would also be issued with a receipt. Applicants are advised to keep a photocopy of their application.
It was also made very clear in the Department's helpsheet that the pre-printed Swiftpost receipt would be the applicant's proof of date of posting. The helpsheet also stated that in the event of the Department not receiving a 2001 application, the applicant would be required to produce the Swiftpost receipt as proof of postage. The vast majority of applicants used the Swiftpost method thus avoiding difficulties in relation to date of posting or delivery of the application. It was precisely to prevent the situation that has arisen with the person named that the new arrangements were put in place. In the case of the person named, no application was received by my Department before the area aid closing date of 27 April 2001. A certificate of posting dated 24 April 2001 was however submitted in August 2001 along with a newly completed application form as no photocopy of the original was available. Any such case arising must be considered by my Department with a view to establishing if there are mitigating circumstances which will allow the late receipt of the application without penalty. Having considered the submission
made by the person named, my Department
has decided to accept the application without penalty.
